


This'll be the best Christmas ever, I swear

by DetectiveBiggs98



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 12:52:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6855502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DetectiveBiggs98/pseuds/DetectiveBiggs98
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’d made it halfway home when he spotted something odd. In a small playground across the street, a guy sat on a swing set, thumbing absently through a book.</p><p>First of all, it was way too cold for that. Secondly, it was Christmas evening—people usually spent it with their families and friends. Or, pulling an all-nighter playing video games like he planned to. Yet, as he drew closer, Hide got the feeling that wasn’t going to happen anymore.</p><p>The guy’s face was hidden by his hood, but he had a hunch who it was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This'll be the best Christmas ever, I swear

**Author's Note:**

> A little out of season ik, but this was originally going to be a part Polaroid until I decided I wanted to show it from Hide's POV! I hope you enjoy it! ( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/

“And that will be 200 yen, please.” The lady hummed, wrinkled eyes glued to the register.

He fished his wallet out of his back pocket and slid the proper amount onto the counter. Taking the yen in one hand, she handed him the plastic bag.“Thank you very much, sir! I hope you have a fantastic holiday!”

“Thank you very much, sir! I hope you have a fantastic holiday!”

Hide beamed at her, “You too, miss!”

By the time his foot touched the pavement, he was already digging through his bag. Probably would have pulled everything out right then and there if not for the blast of chilly air that crashed over him. Moving his free hand to tug his scarf over his nose instead, he hunched over, clutching his Christmas dinner closer to his chest. And by Christmas dinner, he meant hot pockets and a two liter of soda. Admittedly, he wasn’t much of a holiday person. Just because some old dude decided a certain day was more important than the others, didn’t mean it actually was. To him, every day should be considered special.

He’d made it halfway home when he spotted something odd. In a small playground across the street, a guy sat on a swing set, thumbing absently through a book.

First of all, it was  _way_ too cold for that. Secondly, it was Christmas evening—people usually spent it with their families and friends. Or, pulling an all-nighter playing video games like he planned to. Yet, as he drew closer, Hide got the feeling that wasn’t going to happen anymore.

The guy’s face was hidden by his hood, but he had a hunch who it was. A hunch proven correct when he tapped his shoulder, nearly causing the guy to fall off the swing when he jumped.

A gasp, and stormy eyes round as plates met his. “H-Hide?”

“Yo, Kaneki.” He said, masking his concern behind a cheerful grin. “What’re you doing out here? As pale as you are, you’re not a snowman! You could freeze to death!”

The initial shock fading, Kaneki gave a weak laugh. “I have a jacket Hide. I’ll be fine.”

Hide scrunched his nose up in feigned disgust. “That thin thing? There’s no way that’ll keep you warm! Here, take this.” Unraveling his ruddy scarf, he tossed it onto Kaneki's head, pulling the ends round and round until his entire face was bundled in it.

A muffled: _"Hide!!"_ soon followed, along with frozen fingers desperately untangling the fabric.

While his best friend struggled, Hide plopped into the swing beside his, cringing at the coldness that seeped into his thighs. “So, your aunt not doing anything this year or something?”

Finally managing to free his mouth, Kaneki gasped for breath. But, instead of getting mad, he lowered his head and shrugged.

That wasn’t a good sign.

Should he push it further? He was curious, but he didn’t want his friend to shut down on him. He was still mulling it over when Kaneki started twiddling his thumbs in his lap. “She said she didn’t want me in the way.”

“You couldn’t just stay in your room?”

A pause. “I didn’t want to.”

Hide considered it, then nodded slowly. Yeah, holed up in his room, listening to his aunt’s family celebrating downstairs would be nothing short of hell. He’d have left too if he were in Kaneki’s shoes. 

But hold on... My God—had he been getting driven out like this every year!!? Seeing Kaneki’s defeated posture, he knew he wouldn’t like the answer. If only he could—that’s it! That’s it!!

Now revving with energy, he hopped out of his swing and scampered in front of his friend. “Wanna grab some coffee with me?”

“Huh?” Kaneki's chin snapped up, hands patting his pockets. “Oh, I don’t...”

“It’s cool I’ll pay!!”

“No, I can’t!” He insisted, “It’s fine really!”

 “You have to come, though!!” Hide cried, grabbing Kaneki’s shoulders and shaking him back and forth. “Don’t make me go all alone!! I could die!!”

“Of what!?” He asked, a tinge of annoyance creeping into his voice.

That was more like it.

Hide had to fight off a grin. “Loneliness!!”

He knew Kaneki wouldn't need much convincing. He had a good poker face, he’d give him that; but he could feel him shivering beneath his palms.

"Yeah," A sigh. "Okay. I'll come."

Giving him room to stand, Hide swiped his bag off the ground and headed for the sidewalk. Kaneki was at his heels by the time he’d stepped off the mulch.

Thus, the game was afoot.

This year, he was going to make sure Kaneki had the greatest Christmas ever. Hopefully, that would make up for all the awful ones.

“I heard there’s this really nice café right around the block!” He said, trying to keep Kaneki’s mind occupied. “It was called... Anteeka? Antieka? I haven’t been, but Yamaguchi likes it! You know Yamaguchi, she’s—”

He kept the conversation going, the single word replies and quiet laughs all the motivation he needed. He only paused long enough to order two coffees, then carried on chatting all the way to their table. When Kaneki got his drink, his complexion brightened and the shaking stopped.

Time to initiate Phase two: take him somewhere he likes. A bookstore then? Was that ‘festive’?

Moving his chin to his hands, he allowed his gaze to trail absently to the window. “Hey, Kaneki.”

“Hm?” He hummed, setting the coffee he’d been clutching like a lifeline on the table.

“How did you and your mother normally celebrate Christmas?”

The fingers he’d laid by his coffee twitched, beginning a slow ascent to his chin. Hide was certain Kaneki would lie, then, his hand froze mid-chest.

“Mom worked every Christmas.”

Bookstore it was then.

“Mind tagging along with me to pick up a book?”

Kaneki moved to ‘cover a cough’, but he could see the corners of his mouth pulling up. “..Sure, I don’t mind.”

Great! Phase two was already working!

Hide hid his own smile as well.

He waited, and when Kaneki seemed warm enough, he suggested they leave. After all, who knows how long he’d been out there.

“Have a nice evening.” The older man working the counter called after them.

“You too!”

He made sure to hide his phone in his pocket as he googled where the closest Library was. Ten minutes if they went—

Kaneki’s head snapped up. “Ah!”

“W-What is it?” Hide stammered. Had he figured out what he was doing?

He waited for the ‘I’m fines’ and the ‘you should spend Christmas with your familys’, but they never came.

“Will they be okay with us bringing our stuff inside!? I even have a book with me!” He turned to him urgently. “What if they think we’re stealing?”

Hide glanced at his plastic bag, catching a glimpse of the red cap of his soda.

“Yeah, and I don’t want my cola to go flat either. All right, we’ll make a quick stop at my place!”

Kaneki nodded his approval.

Dropping by his house made their ten minute trip a twenty.

The sun had vanished behind a mat of clouds, along with any trace of warmth it had provided. Even inside the Library he could feel the difference if he stood near a window. But, watching Kaneki hum and browse the aisles made it all worth it.

When he noticed Hide standing off to the side, he wandered back. “Hide, which book are you looking for?”

Oh. Crap, he’d forgotten about that. “Uhh,” Running a hand through his short hair, his eyes darted over the shelves and magazine racks, finally settling on a table by the checkout line. “This book!” He rushed to it, snagging the thinnest one he could.

Kaneki’s eyebrows knitted together, “Since when did you like poetry?”

“It’s for a class assignment.” He lied, a finger scratching his cheek. “C’mon, let’s check this out and go.”

Time for Phase three: hit up the town.

Tokyo wasn’t the most festive of cities, but every Christmas they’d decorate the trees with lights. They reflected off the snow, shades of blue, green and purple. It was pretty cool if you could tune out the drunken crowd.

When they’d rounded the corner, he insisted on stopping by the Arcade, where they spent nearly an hour playing racing games. After that, they went to the music store. Kaneki pretended to be exasperated, but Hide knew he was enjoying being dragged from place to place. They didn’t head back until it was midnight, and only because they were shaking like leaves.

He practically knocked the door off its hinges trying to get inside. Beelining for his room, he tore the sheets off his bed and thrust himself onto the couch.

“Kaneki,” He whined, nose buried in the cushion. “Where are you?”

A sigh. “Getting my book,” The door knob clicked. “See you tomorrow.”

“Wait!!” Hide shot upright, fighting to tear the blanket off his head. He ended up succeeding after two firm kicks to the center and strangled it against his chest. “It’s already _super_ late! You should just stay here.”

Kaneki didn’t look convinced.

“Plus,” He added, raising an index finger. “Your aunt has probably already locked the door, and you don’t have a key.”

“I—”

“No, you don’t.”

He clamped his mouth shut.

Hide patted the space beside him. “C’mon, let’s watch a movie.”

A heartbeat. Two.

“Fine.”

He plopped onto the couch rather ungraciously, and Hide threw the blanket over him. He’d turned to grab the remote off the coffee table when he heard a soft mumble.

“Thank you.”

This time, he didn't bother trying to hide the wide grin tugging at his lips. “What are friends for?”

And for the finale, he put in place Phase four. Hot pockets, soda, and an old horror flick. Couldn’t get much better than this.

“Oh!” Kaneki gasped. “I forgot!”

Hide lowered his cup, “Yeah?”

A sheepish smile, “I know it’s late, but Merry Christmas Hide.”

As he watched Kaneki shift to face the tv, he decided, maybe some days were more special than others after all.

“Merry Christmas, buddy.”


End file.
